Unapologize
by temporary relief
Summary: She stared at the ceiling, hoping when she woke up that this would all be a dream. Anything would be better than this nightmare. Hawkes/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:NY. I am not writing for profit. Basically, I am very thankful that CBS allows us to post this on FFN.**

**Notes: Well, this is a Hawkes/OC thing. It was fun to write. Actually, I write these notes first so I don't really know if it'll be all that fun to write, but I'll just say it was. The title is a song by Carrie Underwood, and it really fits this story, but this isn't a song fic. It just happened to fit :D Unfortunately, this chapter's a bit short compared to what I normally write. Like always, enjoy.**

**Thanks to Nik Nak 17 for reading and being awesome. She really is awesome. **

**Unapologize**

**Chapter 1**

"Well, that would look nice in your apartment," Hawkes pointed out a couch near them on their left. Of course, any of the couches in the warehouse would've done fine in her apartment since it was still relatively blank.

Kelly sighed. "Yeah, but that's not why I asked you to come. I need your muscles." She winked at him and kept walking. He quickened his pace to keep up with her.

"I don't get why you couldn't have done this any of the last three years you've lived in that hole you call home," he joked. She gave him a mock glare and walked faster until they reached the sofa she had picked out the last time she came.

He analyzed the situation with the couch. It was a short couch, but it still would take a while to get back to the city even with the truck she borrowed.

He spoke up finally when she folded up the paper and put it into her back pocket. He couldn't help notice this. It was his prerogative as her boyfriend to check out what she was wearing. She turned around and rolled his eyes.

"I would've gotten Danny or Flack to help, but they're workin' so I thought I'd ask you. I mean we are dating after all. I thought you'd volunteer for it," she grinned. Sheldon sighed and walked to the other end of the couch.

"So how should we do it?" he asked.

She laughed. "Well, I was thinkin' we'd get out of here with the couch before we consider that. There are families here. Also, I was hoping that my bedroom would be ready so maybe in there…"

He blushed. "I meant getting the couch into the truck, Kells, you didn't have to go there."

Kelly smiled sheepishly. "How 'bout we take the couch out and put it in the bed of the truck, then we'll get the bed frame?"

"Sounds good to me." He lifted the couch with her and they stumbled over toward the door. "To your left."

She tried to dodge the corner and hit it. Swearing, she looked at Hawkes. "Thanks for the warning." He shook his head before directing her around another corner.

* * *

The two sat in the truck on the way back into the city. The radio had been turn down much to Kelly's dismay, and they sat in silence. Sheldon had his hand on her shoulder as he drove back into the city.

"Sheldon, I hate when you do that. Just drive. I'm not going anywhere."

He shrugged. They came to a sharp turn where he returned both hands to the wheel to navigate safely through the fallen leaves.

She sighed. "See?"

He ignored her and changed the subject. "So what're you doing for Thanksgiving?"

Kelly drummed her fingers on the window before answering. "Well, I was thinking I'd go down to Atlantic City and blow through my last paycheck."

"You're not serious, are you?" Hawkes frowned at her.

She laughed. "If I don't get a better offer…"

"You have one."

"I do?"

"Me."

"Oh," she paused for a moment, frowning. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend Thanksgiving with him, but she thought he already had plans. "I thought you were spending it with your parents." Her disappointment drenched every word she said. He tried to ignore it.

"Only Wednesday. Thursday, I'm home."

"Any reason in particular?"

"They're going on vacation," he told her grimly. He sounded upset about not spending Thanksgiving with his family.

She continued frowning. "Well, I don't know. I could be busy that day."

"In Atlantic City?" Sheldon laughed. She gave him a strange look as if she had first met him. Of course, she had been joking when she said she could be busy that day, but she didn't like being his second choice.

"Yeah, well it was my _first choice_ and all."

He kept the pace with the car as large drops fell down on it. An early November rain wasn't exactly common, but it had been known to happen.

"What's that about?"

She rolled her eyes. "It wasn't exactly your first choice to spend Thanksgiving with me was it?"

He groaned, not looking forward to the fight that would happen. "I just want to know if you want to spend Thanksgiving with me. I would've asked if you wanted to come with me to my parents' house if they weren't on Thanksgiving anyway."

"Oh? Really?" She asked, actually surprised with this answer. Any accusation in her voice was gone.

He nodded.

"I guess I overreacted a little," she gave a meek smile as she blushed.

Sheldon laughed. "A little? You were about to rip me limb from limb." She hit his arm playfully. He shook his head in mock disdain.

* * *

He watched her dig for her keys and groaned. She was attempting to balance the couch and bed frame (still in its box) in one hand while he carried the other side. The bed frame happened to be closer to his side so it was definitely heavier than hers. "Hurry up."

"Found 'em!" She waved them in the air before putting them in the lock and opening the door. They surged through the door quickly.

Hawkes nursed his hand, which had gotten cut when setting the couch on the ground. "Ow, that hurt." He shook it off.

"What?"

"The couch is sharp on the bottom. Where're your band-aids?" he asked sheepishly.

She thought for second. "Cabinet by the fridge." He quickly found one and stuck it on his hand.

Kelly walked over and took the bed frame and the cover off the couch to reveal a beat down leather that had seen better days.

Hawkes walked over to it and frowned. "I can't believe you got this couch. It looks like it's about to fall apart."

"Nah, I checked," she plopped down on the couch. "It's so comfortable." He rolled his eyes.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "That is a safety hazard."

"Yeah, and that's why it matches the rest of this apartment," she laughed. "Now, please help me with the bed frame."

He followed obediently, helping her carry the box with the small metal frame in it. She opened the box slowly once they got into her bedroom. The room was almost empty with the exception of a box spring and a mattress on it. Dark red sheets clung to it and a cream comforter was folded at the end of the bed.

Hawkes pondered the situation for a second. "Let's move the bed first then set up the frame. It'll be easier."

The next five minutes were spent by them moving the mattress and box spring into a corner. After they finished setting up the frame and putting the mattress and box spring onto the frame (although not in that order), they sat on the edge of the bed.

"Well, we had a productive day," she smiled at him.

"Beats work."

"Yes, it does."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence. Neither knew what to say, but both knew that the other wanted to say something.

Hawkes broke the silence first. "So do you want to spend Thanksgiving with me?"

She pretended to think for a second. "'Course I do."

"Well, that settles one thing."

"What's the other thing?"

He smiled. "We ought to celebrate a job well done, and they do say that one must lie in the bed one's made."

He cupped her face and kissed her. She could feel the band-aid on his hand, and she tried to blink away the horror of what it could've been. Especially since he used one of her larger band-aids.

"I don't think that's what the saying means," she laughed through the kisses.

He stopped. "I know, but it made you laugh."

Kelly kept grinning. It was always fun to banter with him. "Yes, well, you are funny. I guess it's 'cause you hang out with me so much."

He frowned. "I was funny before I met you. And to be honest, I think you're sounding more like me than I sound like you."

She kissed him softly before mumbling something against his lips that sounded a lot like "I love you." She must've thought so because she backed up and covered up her mouth with both hands right after saying it.

He tensed up.

"I am so sorry!" She blurted out faster than she had told him she loved him. He stood up, shaking his head in disbelief. "I-I... uhh… I didn't mean it!" She knew it was too late though. He had heard her. He wasn't stupid. He knew what she meant, and he knew she was lying right now.

Hawkes stuttered, not knowing what to say to her. "I-I… uhh… thanks?"

Then the unthinkable happened. She started laughing so hard she was doubled over in hysterics.

He frowned. "You weren't joking were you? 'Cause if you were, that's just mean, Kells."

She slapped her knee to get herself to calm down and sit up as she tried desperately tried to control her breathing. "No, I'm completely serious. It's just that I heard myself, and I sounded so freakin' stupid. I mean we've been dating for three-three and a half months-ish, and it's not really been serious, but there I go telling you that I love you."

He walked to the door slowly, trying to process everything. "I…" he trailed off, lost in thought. "I gotta go. I have to think about some things." He fingered the doorknob and turned it without waiting for her answer.

She sat in utter disbelief. Not at his response. She was truly surprised that he hadn't left earlier. She was surprised that he had stayed that long.

Lying back on her bed, she stared at the ceiling, hoping when she woke up that this would all be a dream. It would be an awful dream, but at least it would be a dream. Anything would be better than this nightmare.

* * *

Hawkes dialed the first number on his speed dial that had nothing to do with work. He braced himself for a long conversation with his best friend from college.

"Hey, man," he said when his friend Josh finally answered the phone. "I need some advice…"

**A/N: What do you think? Is it good? Is it bad? Am I out of my mind? Please review. I love knowing what y'all think. Have a brilliant day.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Don't own them. I won't even pretend to. **

**Notes: This is a continuation of the last chapter. Also there was no beta so all mistakes are my own. Like always, enjoy!**

**Happy Birthday, lily moonlight. This one's for you :D **

**Unapologize**

**Chapter Two**

Sid was cleaning his autopsy table off when she walked in.

"I haven't seen you in here in a while. What can I do for you?"

She sighed. "Am I insane? Like clinically?"

"I don't th-"

"I mean, how else can you explain what happened? I say the most stupid things ever, and I can't even come up with an explanation for it!"

"What di-"

She slammed her hands on the table before continuing. "I told him that I loved him! I didn't even mean to. I meant to say that I love pie – 'cause that's what we were having. Anyway, I went to say pie and 'you' just came out."

Sid sighed, not knowing if he would be interrupted again. "Wha-"

"And I tried to pull it off and make it sound like something else, but I just froze. It was so obvious that I had told him that I loved him." She pounded her fist on the table.

The doctor breathed, knowing that this wasn't over yet. "I-"

"The worst part is he didn't say anything back. I mean, he might've said 'thank you', but I'm not sure he did. As a doctor, you would say I am clinically insane, right?"

She sighed and crossed her arms, a sign that she had finally finished.

Sid unclipped his glasses and attached them together so they rested on his scrubs. "Listen, Kelly, you can't use me to get out of work with a diagnosis." He chuckled at her antics. It reminded him of a time in his youth, but he didn't have the time to go into that.

Kelly groaned. "I'm not trying to get out of work. I just wanna be able to tell this guy that I wasn't in my right mind when I said it."

"Do you want my advice?"

"Why else would I be here? I don't exactly come here for the smell of whatever's in that locker over there," she rolled her eyes.

He moved to hand her the sponge he was using. "Clean the table." She grabbed a pair of gloves and started working on the table.

"How is this advice?"

Sid laughed for a while at her response. She groaned and continued to scrub the table.

"Cultivate your garden."

She sighed and scrubbed harder. "I know that's from a book, but what book?" The table was practically spotless by now, ready for another patient.

She heard the snapping of his glasses as he returned them to his nose. "It's _Candide_. It means to just deal with your own problems."

"That's what I am doing!"

"I know, but I've been waiting for three years to tell you this. But you need to deal with this problem yourself. Talking to me about it won't make it go away."

She sighed loudly. "I hate that you're right." She made her hand into a fist and hit the table. A small echo resounded from the metallic surface into the silence that surrounded them.

He raised an eyebrow. "So what will you do, Detective."

"I was thinking that I'd just avoid him till it affects work. It's the Higgins way."

"From what I've heard, there is no Higgins way."

"Who'd ya hear that from?"

"Danny."

"Well, he lies. It's the Messer way." She grinned. "Actually, the Messer way is to cheat and then lie about it." Kelly laughed loudly at her own joke. Sid debated whether to roll his eyes or not.

He countered, "How do you know this?"

"He doesn't take break ups well," she told him, handing him the sponge. He took it gingerly and smiled.

"I take it that you're good on the advice."

She gave him a thumbs-up and turned to leave. As she walked out, she stopped when she heard the elevator ding. Out strolled Hawkes, pretending to look at his watch as if he was in a rush.

He nearly walked past her. Nearly. "Oh, Kells, I almost missed you."

She hesitated to roll her eyes. "I'm sure, Sheldon."

"We need to talk."

"I knew you didn't come down here for Siddie over there," she smiled. "But you might want to visit him. I think he's getting kinda lonely down here, Doc."

He resisted the urge to smile at her joke. "Stairs?"

"Well, the elevator's faster. It's kinda why they invented it."

"Let's take the stairs."

This was going to be a long talk. They both knew this.

The stairwell echoed with his voice as he finally broke the silence. "I need to say something."

"If it's 'I love you too', I won't believe you," she crossed her arms in annoyance.

"That's not it."

Her face fell. "Oh."

Sheldon leaned back against the stairwell's railing before continuing. "What you said last night – it really confused me. I just think-" he cleared his throat "-I just think that we should take a small break."

Her hand covered her mouth before she had time to think.

"Not indefinitely, but until Thanksgiving. We just need to think before we make rash decisions."

"Thanksgiving's three weeks away, Doc!" _Don't you think you're being paranoid? Sure, I said I loved you, but this, this is crazy! _She wanted to scream her thoughts so desperately, but her mouth seemed bent on trying to hide the annoyance with what he was doing. "Look, I'm sorry I blurted that out last night. It was obviously a mistake. Can't we just – I dunno – pretend this never happened?"

He sighed. "We are both too smart to know that it meant nothing. It'd be hard if we were together."

She nodded. "You mean you don't wanna hurt my feelings because you won't say it back."

Silence.

"Fine, we'll be friends, Doc. We can be friends, right?"

He missed the sarcasm.

"Always."

* * *

Hawkes casually flipped through a case file at the break room table as he ate his lunch.

"You know, that this is the _break room_? You're allowed to take a break from work, _buddy_." He recognized that voice. Was he really surprised that she was calling him buddy?

Kelly sat across the table from him with the _New York Times _in hand. She was doing the crossword puzzle in pencil, looking up every minute or so to look at him.

"You know, Doc, I can't figure this one out."

He nodded as a sign for her to go on.

She grinned. "Okay it's a seven letter phrase for "I want to apologize for being a tool today". Oh, and it starts with "I" then "M" then "S"."

"I wasn't being a tool," he answered quietly.

She laughed. "I'm sorry, too many letters! Guess again."

The chair screeched across the floor as he stood up and walked to the fridge. "I'm not playing this game with you, Kells."

"Oh, be a sport. It was your decision after all."

"Did the words "be a sport" just come out of your mouth?" A new voice entered the conversation followed by a snicker from a blonde detective.

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Ducky!"

Danny snickered again. "Ducky?"

"Well, you know how he's Donald so like Donald Duck, but that's too much of a mouthful so it's just Ducky."

Flack crossed his arms over his chest. "Now that you two are done laughing, do you want to go to Sullivan's after shift? Kells, there's this guy we want you to meet." Hawkes perked up. "His name's Casey."

"Like _Casey at the Bat_ or _KC and the Sunshine Band_?" She asked loudly, knowing that Sheldon was listening from where he stood by the fridge.

Don ignored her question and kept talking. "So what do you say? I mean, we know you aren't in a relationship because who would date you?" He joked.

"That's the way to get me to agree," she laughed. "But I don't think I should." She watched as Hawkes clenched the handle to the fridge.

He shook his head as he opened the door and found the container he had his lunch in. Snapping it open, he put the rest of his stew into the Tupperware and put it back in the fridge to get after shift.

Danny sighed. "C'mon, Kells, you gotta do this."

"I don't really-"

"Kells," Danny started, about to beg. "I promised him I'd introduce you to him."

"Fine!"

"Awesome. He'll be at Sullivan's so I guess we'll see you then." Flack walked out of the room with Danny dogging at his heels.

Silence enveloped the room before Hawkes voiced his concerned.

"You're going out with this Casey guy?"

"You have a problem with it?"

"No, I've just seen bullets leave guns slower," he shook his head. "It's been what? Three hours?"

She laughed. "Well, I'm not exactly taken for Thanksgiving, am I? Plus, I have a life besides you so take all the time you need. I'll be waiting."

"So what are you going to be doing with this Casey?"

"I was thinking we might do a little dance. You know, make a little love," she grinned. "But all together we'll just get down tonight."

"Funny."

"Well, I think he'll just strike out. I only have feelings for one guy even if he doesn't feel the same way."

Hawkes drummed his fingers on the tabletop. "Can we stop talking about me as if I'm not here?"

Kelly smiled and shrugged. "I don't know. Can you ignore the fact that I may or may not have told you that I love you?"

A strange cough came from his mouth as he sat down next to her. She ignored this.

"Plus, I've told Danny and Flack that I love them."

"That's not the same. Don't pretend it is."

She gave up. "Fine, I'm givin' up here. I accept that this just won't happen. Now if you would excuse me, I need to eat lunch and get back to work."

* * *

Sullivan's was packed that night. It was full of all types and walks of people in it just getting off of work. Drinks lined the bar itself as the three of them walked in.

"I don't think I can go through with this," Kelly said finally, a growing feeling of guilt entering her voice. She rubbed her shoulder out of awkwardness.

Danny grinned. "Oh, you'll do fine."

"No, I mean, I'm being a bit- well, I'm being an awful person. I'm dating someone, and I'm going on a date with someone else."

"You're dating someone?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "How don't you know that I've been dating someone? It's your job to be all up in other people's business!"

"I've been busy."

She sighed and kept walking. "I'll meet this guy, but I'm not going to date him. I feel bad enough already."

Flack groaned. He had a feeling that she wanted to talk about this or they should at least listen. "I feel a story coming on."

She shook her head because an audible answer would have been lost in the deafening noise. They walked further into the bar to the pool table where no one had set up shop. They were surprised, but who were they to complain about that. Pool cues were taken out and the balls racked.

Danny looked at his watch. It was already ten o'clock. "Where's Casey, Flack?"

"Dunno," he answered, breaking the balls. "He should be."

"I don't think I can go through with this," Kelly wrung the cue nervously. The guys ignored her.

Someone just a few inches shorter than Flack walked up to the three of them. He had dirty blonde hair that looked as if he ran his hand through it too much. He wore a striped Oxford style shirt that looked neatly pressed.

His voice sounded gravely and harsh when he finally spoke. "Sorry, I'm late, guys. The ER was packed. I'm on call though so sorry if this gets cut short." He looked over at Kelly who looked up as she lined up a shot. "You must be Kelly. I'm Casey. It's nice to finally meet you." He flashed her an award-winning smile.

"Sure you don't wanna go through with this?" Danny whispered to her.

"Well, one drink won't hurt."

**A/N: I hope you liked this. Please review. I want to know your thoughts on this. Have a brilliant day.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:NY. I do own Kelly Higgins and Casey Smith. **

**Notes: Right, so I'm technically studying for my AP Euro History Exam (Well, I was when I wrote this) But I know it. I really do :D This is just more important. Like always, enjoy.**

**Thanks to Nik Nak 17 for reading and being an awesome listener!**

**Unapologize**

**Chapter 3**

Sheldon set his cup of coffee down on the table. He looked over at Josh who was busy making up a Calculus test for his AP class. He would enjoy hearing the groans of the students when he gave it to them later that week.

"You give awful advice, man," Hawkes shook his head in annoyance. Josh looked up from the laptop he was working on.

"Well, I'm only a math teacher," he laughed. "I didn't know you'd take my advice to heart."

"I didn't know where to go. It was just so… sudden."

Josh frowned. "Are you sorry that you ended it?"

"We're not over, we're just on a break," Hawkes replied adamantly.

His friend rolled his eyes and laughed. "You know, for a smart guy, you're a damn idiot. You come to me for advice, then you hate the advice because you don't have your girl anymore."

Sheldon shook his head. "That's not it."

"Then what is it?"

"She went out with someone else."

"So? She's allowed to."

"That same day, Josh!" Hawkes gripped the handle of the coffee mug tightly before breathing deeply. "I'm just… shocked."

"You can't blame her for being pissed at you. You sounded pretty stupid," Josh laughed, hoping to lighten the atmosphere.

Hawkes glared. "I'm still mad at you."

"Don't take it out on me."

"Oh? And who should I take it out on?"

"My students. I need some help with the math." Josh passed the laptop over to Sheldon to look over one of his integral functions. "Can you do this integral?"

Hawkes studied the problem for a few minutes. "No, I have no clue where to begin."

His friend smiled. "Yes, it's perfect! They'll never see it coming."

The doctor frowned. He was utterly confused by his friend and still mad at him for his _great _advice. "Why are you doing this to your class?"

"They said this class was too easy."

Sheldon snorted with laughter. "I seriously doubt that."

"What do you know? You took _my_ advice after all," Josh snickered loudly. Hawkes glared at him, not finding any of his friend's jokes funny at all. "What's your deal, man?"

"It's not funny. I don't laugh at your problems even when they aren't serious."

Josh frowned. "Dude, I didn't know you were serious. I thought you were just givin' me a hard time."

"How was asking for advice on a girl a joke?"

"It seemed like just a fling!"

"Well, it wasn't! And now, it's over because of _your _advice!"

"You took it. You can't blame me. You talked yourself into it, man," Josh argued loudly.

"You knew that I wasn't thinking clearly!"

"You're _always_ thinking clearly!" His friend insisted, getting frustrated by this whole dispute. "Don't tell me you weren't thinking that it was time to get out. Once you say the "L" word, there's no going back. Trust me."

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I remember Leah, Brandy, and Tanya. Didn't you tell them that _you_ loved them? And didn't they dump _you_?"

"Shut up!"

"I just can't believe I listened to your advice. You're a serial one-night stander." Hawkes shook his head.

Josh started talking back, still frustrated. "Yeah bu-"

Hawkes' phone interrupted their conversation. He answered it quickly, not wanting to hear his friend's rebuttal.

He closed it as soon as he opened it. "I gotta get to work, Josh."

His friend groaned. "You were supposed to help me with this damn test."

"People don't stop killing each other just for when I have a personal crisis and you have a math test."

"So what're you going to do?"

"Go to work."

"I meant about the girl!" Josh called after him. Hawkes dismissed the question and kept on walking.

* * *

Kelly smiled when she saw him strutting (well, she said he was strutting, but he under no circumstances _strutted_) up to the crime scene tape. "How you doin'?"

Sheldon sighed. "I'm- I'm… I've missed you, Kells."

She grinned. "Well, I've missed you too. I've been here for an hour processing, and you've taken your sweet time gettin' here." He felt himself turn a little red after what she said. He didn't know why, but she had that effect on him.

"I was with a friend. And it was my day off," he lied, without meaning to.

She rolled her eyes. "Liar," she laughed. "It was your day off yesterday."

"Well, I didn't mean to lie," he told her sheepishly. "It just came out. Anyway, not that it's any consolation, but don't even pretend you didn't lie to Sid."

"That was- that was…"

He looked like he was listening intently when he said "That was what?"

"Different! I changed the story because it made me look like a slut when it was true," she groaned. "And I don't know why you're in such a tizzy. I wasn't even mad at you for lying. I was teasing you."

He frowned. He was upset, but not about their current argument he deduced. It was about her date with that Casey. She hadn't told him anything about it, and it had been two weeks.

"Well," he started. "What about your date with Casey? Why'd you go on that?"

"I wasn't lying when I told you last week that it wasn't to make you jealous. I went on it for myself. I had to prove I had other options." She stopped suddenly, worried that she said too much. "And I hope you're happy 'cause that was the worst hour of my life."

"Don't be so dramatic. I'm sure your interview with Mac was worse."

"No, that was a _very_ fun hour of my life." She winked and walked off to take more pictures of the crime scene, leaving him utterly confused.

* * *

She sat at the break room table half a week later, staring at her copy of the sketch of the crime scene. In one hand, she held a turkey sandwich to commemorate the holiday.

"You know, we're allowed to take breaks," a sarcastic voice told her from behind her. Hawkes grabbed a chair and joined her.

"Yeah, I know, you told me that three weeks ago after I told you I loved you," she said without looking up from the sketch.

He shook his head. "That's not what I was talking about."

"I know," she smiled and took a bite out of her sandwich.

"Today's Thanksgiving," he started awkwardly.

She looked up and swallowed her food. "Yeah, I know. That's why I have a turkey sandwich." He watched her wave the sandwich in front of him.

"I made my decision."

"That's good. About what?" Kelly grinned innocently.

Sheldon coughed and shifted his gaze to her. "You know what. I thought I'd tell you that-"

"Well, now I'm relieved. I was just sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for you to tell me this. And now after three weeks, I can finally get on with my life!" She told him bitterly.

"Don't be like that, Kells."

She sighed and relented. "You're right. So what did you want to tell me?" She took a bite of her sandwich and said once she swallowed, "I love this sandwich."

"I love _you_." He said casually as if he had said it to her before. She stared at him blankly, not believing what he said.

"I thought about it for a while."

"Sheldon, love's not logical," she teased. He rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't finished," he frowned. "I thought about when you went out with Casey, and how much it bothered me-"

"So? Being bothered doesn't mean you love someone."

"Will you please stop interrupting me?" He asked, annoyed. She nodded. "I thought about how much it bothered me, and then I realized that it was ridiculous." He waited, expecting her to interrupt. When she didn't, he continued. "If you're happy, then I'm happy."

She thought for a minute or two, not knowing what to say (which was strange for her). "When'd you figure this out? And don't give me some chick flick crap that "on some level I've always known" because that's just stupid." She dropped her air quotes as she finished what she was saying.

He laughed. "I'd hate to sound stupid so I guess I'll say that it was probably yesterday after we left the crime scene when I realized it." His serious demeanor fell as he added, "_But I guess on some level, I've always known_." She hit his shoulder and started to put up her lunch.

"Well, this has been a fun conversation, Sheldon, but I have to go."

"Wait," he said quietly. She paused and faced him. "What do you say to this?"

"It's not a conversation for work," she watched as Danny and Flack turned the corner. "I'm sorry."

For the second time in a week, he watched her walking away and felt confused.

* * *

The end of shift meant two things for the team: they could go home, and they could eat Thanksgiving dinner if any of them had time to make it.

Hawkes fought through the crowd of about six people to find Kelly in the elevator. Of course, they wouldn't finish their conversation there, in public, but he needed to talk to her before she got home.

When they finally broke away from the group, the subway entrance was in sight. They scanned their cards without saying anything to each other and found seats on the train.

"So what do you say? Do you still love me?" He didn't think that she had changed her mind, but he was cautious so he asked.

"'Course I do." She grinned and leaned into him as he put his arm around her for the ride home.

**Finis**

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the story. Sorry for the cheesy ending :D Please review and tell me how you like it. Have a brilliant day! XD**


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